The passing of a hero

We lost a Canadian hero on Wednesday night. Lloyd Clemett passed away at the age of 107 years old.

Mr. Clemett was a veteran of the First World War. His attestation paper shows that he was born on January 10, 1898 in Peterborough, Ontario. His Veterans' Affairs record states that it was actually December 10, 1899. Either way, Mr. Clemett was declared fit to serve in the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force in the 93rd Battalion on January 31, 1916. This is something he desired very much - as did many other underaged boys who felt it was their duty to enlist. He did what he had to do to get in, and we are all grateful.

My grandfather joined him about six weeks later. Frederick John Mason served in the 77th Battalion. I never met him. While he was lucky to come home from the war just like Lloyd Clemett did, he passed away in 1974 at the age of 82 years. I was only born the next year.

Over 600,000 young Canadians enlisted over ninety years ago and more than 60,000 Canadian soldiers died during the war. Over time those who came home, as Lloyd Clemett and Frederick Mason did, they succumbed one by one to the only enemy these brave men could not defeat: time. Approximately 500,000 men returned to Canada alive after the war ended.

Only two remain with us today.

Along with Percy Wilson and John Babcock, Canadians from coast to coast will mourn the passing of Lloyd Clemett this weekend. Thank you Lloyd for everything. Rest in peace.